Ian Holloway appointed as Crystal Palace manager - BBC Sport BBC Sport Ian Holloway appointed as Crystal Palace manager 3 Nov 2012 Read more about sharing. Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has been appointed as Crystal Palace's new manager on a four-and-a-half-year deal. Holloway, 49, will take charge of Palace with the London club currently fourth in the Championship, six points above 12th-placed Blackpool. He told Palace's club website: "This is a fantastic opportunity. I got great energy when I met the club's owners and just can't wait to get going." Keith Millen also joins Holloway at Selhurst Park as assistant manager. It suits him to be nearer his family and I am sure he will enjoy the new challenge he has set himself Karl Oyston Blackpool chairman "It is sad to leave Blackpool as my time there was the best trip I have been on and leave very proud of what was achieved and I would like to wish them all the best," added Holloway, who has also managed Bristol Rovers, Queens Park Rangers, Plymouth and Leicester. "I just see this as too good an opportunity to turn down.

"I am bringing in Keith as my assistant who is a Croydon boy and he is as excited as I am about the opportunity." Bristol-born Holloway leaves Blackpool after over three years in charge, winning promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs in May 2010 although they were relegated the following season. And Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston holds no resentment towards Holloway regarding the decision to leave. "I wish Ian all the best in his new role," Oyston told BBC Radio Lancashire. "He has done a fantastic job for us during his time here and will be remembered as the most successful manager in the club's history. "Things happen in football very quickly, as in this case, so I am not shocked by his decision. It suits him to be nearer his family and I am sure he will enjoy the new challenge he has set himself. Holloway's managerial history 2009-2012 Blackpool 2012- Crystal Palace "There is no animosity, he goes with my best wishes having served our club so well and the success he brought to the club during his three years here. "Steve Thompson will take charge of the team at Derby this afternoon.

I will then be making an appointment as soon as possible." Palace chairman Steve Parish had revealed the club had made an approach for Holloway on Thursday. Holloway took training as normal at Blackpool on Friday morning, but did not join the team on their journey to Derby, although he often travelled separately to away fixtures. His departure comes only six months after guiding Blackpool to the Championship play-off final against West Ham, where his side lost 2-1. Holloway will now hope for similar success at Palace, who have not been in the top flight since a one-year stay in 2004-05, and lost their first three league matches of the current campaign. Six wins out of seven then lifted them into fourth place in the Championship before Freedman's departure. His assistant Lennie Lawrence was caretaker boss for the Eagles' draw at Barnsley and a notable victory at Leicester, before joining Freedman at the Reebok Stadium. Leicester City: Ten factors behind the Foxes' success story - BBC Sport BBC Sport Leicester City: Ten factors behind the Foxes' success story By Owen Phillips Read more about sharing.

Leicester City have dominated the Championship this season and have confirmed their promotion to the Premier League with six games of their season remaining. After a turbulent time on and off the pitch which has seen nine different managers in the 10 years since they were last in the top flight, manager Nigel Pearson has followed Sven-Goran Eriksson's free-spending reign with a free-scoring exciting side. BBC Sport takes a look at some of the main reasons for their success, with a little help from former Foxes striker Steve Claridge and BBC Radio Leicester's Leicester City commentator Ian Stringer. Something to prove The heartache of a failed promotion bid - particularly one that ended in such cruel circumstances as the dramatic play-off semi-final defeat against Watford last May - can and often does lead to a nasty hangover the following season. However, a relatively chirpy Pearson said at the start of the campaign that their pain, following a miserable promotion run-in, could spur them on to great things this time around - and so it proved. Claridge: "It can work both ways. The effect can be overwhelming and have a big impact. The disappointment when I lost with Millwall at the same stage was massive. But the difference was that maybe we over-achieved.

Leicester possibly under-achieved last season and it can work for you. They understood what was required and were determined to get it right." Stringer: "Seeing the Foxes players' tears at Vicarage Road last season had a massive impact on them - and the fans. You could somehow see that they would come again. The heartache was massive but it provided brilliant motivation." Settled side after a sensible summer Whether by design or enforced because of Financial Fair Play concerns, Leicester's lack of significant summer signings seemed to work in their favour and Pearson has trusted the players who performed so well for much of last season. Leicester's signings 2013-14 Kevin Phillips (Jan, from Crystal Palace, free). Riyad Mahrez (Jan, from Le Havre, undisclosed). Gary Taylor-Fletcher (Sep, from Blackpool, free). Marcin Wasilewski (Sep, from Anderlecht, free). Ryan Watson (Sep, from Wigan, free). Dean Hammond (Aug, from Southampton, undisclosed). Ignasi Miquel (Aug, from Arsenal, loan). Zoumana Bakayogo (July, from Tranmere, free).

Midfielder Dean Hammond arrived from Southampton but has been a fringe player, Zoumana Bakayogo has not started a league game for the Foxes after joining on a free transfer and loan signing Ignasi Miquel has struggled to force his way into the side. Others have arrived and made an impact - notably Kevin Phillips and Riyad Mahrez - but Pearson has largely kept faith with the nucleus of the side from last season. Claridge: "He has filled in the gaps. A lot of the signings have been under the radar and there just hasn't been the hullabaloo that came with Sven, who was spending £5m here and £3m there. That has meant there has not been the same scrutiny, pressure and expectation on the side. I have no doubt that makes a huge difference to everyone, including the fans who were not turning up expecting to roll teams over. They have benefited from not having all that attention on them." Stringer: "Nigel kept the spine of his team. The side barely changed from last season and has not changed much throughout the season.

He mostly added players with experience - something he said the side lacked at the back end of the last campaign and lots of players have contributed." Keeping the faith Pearson's second stint as Leicester boss looked almost certain to be coming to an end at some point in late 2012, just 12 months after his reappointment. The speculation was so intense that the club's Thai owners even took the unusual step of eventually issuing a statement defending their man after a mixed start to the season. City's league season in stats Leicester have scored more goals, 76, than any other Championship team, and conceded 38. City have kept 14 clean sheets in league matches. Only two players have been sent off in 2013-14 - Paul Konchesky and Matt James. David Nugent (20) and Jamie Vardy (16) have scored more goals (36) between them than Blackpool (34) and Charlton (27) have managed in total. Nugent and Kasper Schmeichel have been ever-presents for Leicester.

Fourteen players have started 10 league games or more Harry Redknapp and Paul Ince were just two of the names mentioned as Pearson's possible successor and "scrapper" Pearson also felt the need to fight his corner in March last year during a miserable run of just two wins from 16 games. The reward for the patience shown by owners and fans as Pearson's side began to take shape has been spectacular. Claridge: "It's fantastic that the owners have stood by Nigel Pearson. There have been moments where they could have got rid of him, but he has proved what a good manager he is. He did very well in his first spell, did a good job at Hull and has done even better this time. The club learned a hard lesson with Sven, but they do seem to have learned. Building a team and structure does not happen overnight and they have stuck with their man which was brave, but the right thing to do." Stringer: "He did so much groundwork following Sven so why waste it?

Last season we started to see the results but it was clear that experience was the final touch - and that has been added." Keeping it simple In an era when confusing formations, meticulous planning, complicated systems and tactics and endless statistical analysis are seen as way to guarantee success, Pearson's side seems to benefit from mixing the no-stone-unturned, behind-the-scenes approach with stunningly simple but effective tactics. The 4-4-2 has worked wonders for most of the season, providing a solid spine and the basis for their success. A confident and very loud goalkeeper, strong and imposing centre-backs, a solid dependable midfield with more than a little quality - and plenty of pace and nous out wide and up front. Simple but effective. Claridge: "Nigel Pearson has a system and good players and they all believe in that system. Even in games when I have seen the two midfielders under pressure against a midfield three they have always believed in what they are doing and thought they will get an area of control at some point.

They might drop a forward in sometimes, but they have not switched systems and panicked." Stringer: "They started with three at the back at Middlesbrough and won but after two league games they went to 4-4-2 and it has worked a treat. A settled and extremely organised defence who communicate effectively has given greater balance and confidence to the attacking players. And Pearson's substitutions have been really effective. Chris Wood, Kevin Phillips and Riyad Mahrez have all come on and scored crucial goals." Keeping Big Wes Nottingham Forest's relentless pursuit of their former captain Wes Morgan eventually failed. Whether it was just an attempt to unsettle, or was deadly serious - only Forest will know. But fail Forest did, and the considerable presence of "Big Wes" was a huge reason for City's solid defence. Morgan has signed a new contract and has said he is eager to sign a longer deal. And Pearson is just as eager to keep the man he named as captain and sees as a key part of their plans next season. Claridge: "If you lose your best players it undermines the dressing room. And after the way things ended last season it's likely it would not have taken much to undermine the dressing room going into the new season.

But they managed to have the attitude that 'we went close so let's go to the next level'. If they had sold Wes Morgan, or Liam Moore to Fulham, the players may have questioned things. Are we trying to progress or just treading water?" Stringer: "Wes is the inspiration. The desire, dedication and attitude he shows is an example to everyone on and off the pitch. And it shows the club's intent too. Selling the captain would have sent a message to the rest of the league. Wes wanted to play for a Premier League team and that team is Leicester." Inspiring confidence The manager's ability to stay calm and at times dull, kept expectations relatively low, lessened the pressure on the players and helped build confidence steadily. But it's Pearson's careful management both on and off the pitch that has really shone through and been vital in nurturing the young talent who have all been in need of a bit of love and attention for a variety of reasons. Pearson's support for Morgan during those transfer rumours and his careful nurturing of Moore's emergence have been vital, while both Jamie Vardy and Matty James have been quick to praise their manager having struggled with their confidence.

Claridge: "As a manager you buy the right players - make sure they have the correct attitude, treat them on a level playing field and tactically put them in the right positions. If you get that right the rest follows." Stringer: "When I spoke to Wes at the time Forest were sniffing around, he said the manager showed him a lot of love. Sometimes players have said it feels like playing for a headmaster but Nigel Pearson knows when to put an arm around their shoulder and when to kick them up the backside." Pace, more pace and wondrous wingers Anthony Knockaert's heart-breaking penalty miss in the play-off semi-final against Watford seems a very long time ago and his influence has been a feature of a goal-laden season. A helping hand As well as top scoring for Leicester with 18 league goals, David Nugent leads the way in assists with 13, the joint Championship best along with Nottingham Forest's Andy Reid and Ipswich Town's Aaron Cresswell. Lloyd Dyer and Anthony Knockaert are next best for the Foxes with five each. Source: Football League and Leicester City [April 5, 2014].

The Frenchman's fleet of foot, trickery and quality on the ball has provided countless chances and is the perfect foil and attacking compliment for the searing pace of Lloyd Dyer on the other wing. The speed and twin goal threat of David Nugent and his rejuvenated strike partner Vardy have ensured a good number of the opportunities that have been carved out have been taken. Not only that, the Foxes seem to have unearthed another gem in Mahrez who scored a late equaliser in the 2-2 draw against Forest and a stunning goal in the superb second-half fightback against Blackpool. Claridge: "It's simple. Pace scares teams, and the system and players Leicester play means they have good pace up front and out wide. Nigel Pearson has a deep-seated belief in what he does. The two boys in midfield don't chase games. They sit and the forwards and wingers are the real threat." Stringer: "Jamie Vardy stands out because of the amount of running and chasing up front. Every team needs a pest and Vardy is undoubtedly a pest. The wingers have been incredible. The French pair have been grabbing the headlines but Lloyd Dyer has been sensational - the best season of his career.

His pace is frightening." Team spirit Pearson has a smaller, tighter unit having cleared out many of the players signed for big money and on big wages by his predecessor Eriksson. All change Leicester's permanent managers since the Foxes last played Premier League football in 2003-04 (in addition to nine caretaker bosses). Micky Adams (Apr 02 to Oct 04), Craig Levein (Nov 04 to Jan 06), Rob Kelly (Feb 06 to Apr 07), Martin Allen (May 07 to Aug 07), Gary Megson (Sep 07 to Oct 07), Ian Holloway (Nov 07 to May 08), Nigel Pearson (Jun 08 to Jun 10), Paulo Sousa (Jul 10 to Oct 10), Sven-Goran Eriksson (Oct 10 to Oct 11),Nigel Pearson (Nov 11 to present). Pearson's ruthless streak was show in his handling of talented players with Jermaine Beckford leaving for Bolton amid persistent rumours of a bust-up, while Matt Mills was another to be moved on.

Only 22 players have been used in the league this season and the spirit and togetherness has been abundantly clear throughout their impressive campaign. Claridge: "Spending huge amounts of money can 'unlevel' the dressing room. It does not always work. There seems to be a togetherness in the dressing room and on the pitch. Everyone puts in a shift, and even a skilful player like Knockaert has developed a great deal defensively. If good players work hard, it is infectious." Stringer: "There are no egos and that's evident. When the full-time whistle goes they all celebrate together, they celebrate goals together and when it's been tough - like Watford away with all the bad memories - they have performed and showed true spirit." Staying injury free Every successful team needs luck on the injury front and Leicester have kept their key players fit for most of the season. Striker Chris Wood's absence has been felt, the big striker having a nightmare with a hamstring problem and only managing five league starts so far in an injury-hit campaign.

But Wood was struggling to break into the team ahead of Nugent and Vardy anyway and, aside from a knee injury for squad player Sean St Ledger, and a rib injury for Moore, there have been relatively few issues. Claridge: "They have been fortunate but they have a strong squad with players to do specific jobs and I think they would have coped with more injuries. I have seen them make five and six changes in games and it's been seamless. Players have been asked to do specific jobs, not a role they are not used to. A central midfielder has come in to central midfield and full-backs have come in at full-back, not wing-backs playing as a full-back. The players know the system and are not being asked to play out of position." Stringer: "You hear talk about the importance of pre-season and the fact the club have just hosted a seminar on injury prevention attended by the Football Association and most Premier League clubs tells its own story." Foxes fans The travelling support have turned up in impressive numbers and Pearson and his players have been quick to pay tribute to their backing - particularly away from home. Foxes' famous five The key victories that have helped Leicester to promotion.

Opening day triumph: Nigel Pearson's men banish memories of their play-off heartache with a gutsy 2-1 win from a goal behind at Middlesbrough on 3 August. Bouncing back: The Foxes put derby defeat by Forest behind them as David Nugent scores twice on his 100th City appearance in a 2-1 victory at Ipswich on 23 November. Signalling intentions: Jamie Vardy registers the only goal to underline Leicester's promotion credentials at pre-season promotion favourites QPR on 21 December. If you score three: Leicester end the year on top of the Championship after twice fighting back from a goal down to beat Bolton 5-3 in an eight-goal thriller at home on 29 December. Demolition Derby: A superb attacking display sees Leicester destroy promotion rivals Derby County with strike duo Nugent and Vardy both netting in a 4-1 success on 10 January. The vast majority stuck with the manager through tricky times last season and have made the most of the 27 league wins they have already racked up this time around.

There were 3,000 at Burnley last week, 2,200 at Wigan on a Tuesday night, 3,600 at Blackburn Rovers and more than 3,500 travelled to see the 3-0 win over Barnsley at Oakwell for a midweek game last month. Claridge: "Leicester is big city and they love their sport. The crowd have been behind the manager and bought into what he is doing. Everyone has been in it together this season. I think everyone felt a bit scolded by what happened with Sven and you could see the unity this season." Stringer: "I have been among the fans pre and post-match for much of the season and the passion and support sends shivers down your spine. The away support has been phenomenal. The noise has been staggering and they have lapped up every moment of a scintillating season." Additional reporting by Matt Halfpenny.

Share this page Leicester City's Nigel Pearson shows staying together is a good thing | Richard Rae Other managers would have been torn up by Leicester's failure in the Championship play-offs last season but Nigel Pearson knew his team would only mature<p>More than a few Leicester City supporters thought the club's best chance of returning to the Premier League in the near future had disappeared in the space of 20 seconds at Vicarage Road last May. As Foxes fans in the stadium or watching on television will never forget, what would have been a tie-winning penalty in the fifth minute of added time in the second leg of the play-off, taken by Anthony Knockaert, was saved by Watford goalkeeper Manuel Almunia. A few bewildering moments later Troy Deeney had scored for the Hornets, the final whistle had blown, and to a man, Nigel Pearson's players crumpled to the turf in disbelief.<br>The gloom extended over the summer. The teams relegated from the Premier League, Queens Park Rangers, Reading and Wigan, looked to have retained stronger squads than Bolton, Blackburn and Wolves, the previous year's relegated sides.

Other championship clubs, including neighbours Nottingham Forest, were spending far more than City, whose Thai owners King Power International, were being forced by the advent of the financial fair play regulations to limit Pearson's incursions into the transfer market to a minimum.</p><p>The general consensus seemed to be that the best that could be hoped for was another shot at the play-offs.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Leicester City Leicester's play-off pain is driving them now towards Premier League Nigel Pearson's team lead the Championship by 10 points and may see last season's anguish as a blessing in disguise<p>For Leicester City Anthony Knockaert's celebration at Vicarage Road in December was an exercise in exorcism. Knockaert, after scoring in the second half of a comfortable 3-0 victory, ran to the travelling supporters as if the biggest of burdens had been disposed of, relief and joy etched on his face in equal measure.</p><p>His reaction was no surprise.

Leicester, who will be reunited with Watford on Saturday in the Championship, were one kick away from a play-off final and a shot at promotion to the Premier League, only for Manuel Almunia to save Knockaert's penalty in the dying seconds. Watford, with their campaign seemingly at an end, then countered to score in the most dramatic of finishes.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Leicester City Football League: your thoughts | Michael Butler Derby go second behind Leicester in the Championship, Swindon stay in the hunt and David Flitcroft gets first Bury win<p>In April Nigel Pearson was said to be on the verge of losing his job at Leicester, having one once in 11 games. Now, following a humdinging 5-3 win over Bolton, his side are four points clear at the top of the Championship going into the New Year.

With one of the strongest squads in the league and owners that are capable of backing him in January, few would bet against Leicester being favourites to end the season in promotion.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Championship Championship play-offs fans' view: 'Glenn Murray injury is huge blow' Watford, Leicester, Brighton and Crystal Palace fans give their predictions before the Championship play-off second legs<p>Whatever Sunday brings it's unlikely to match last Saturday's Leeds game for drama. I'd like to think that we're now battle-hardened, with a "been there, done that" steely glint in the eye. Everything went against us, and we went into Thursday's first leg with fitness problems, without Troy Deeney, and in a very different mood to our hosts who thought their play-off place was blown when we won at the King Power Stadium a fortnight ago. So in context a 1-0 defeat was far from a disaster, though David Nugent's goal was a punch in the guts. But there's a real confidence: this team came together in October, the results followed in November and we've been the best in the division ever since.

Contrary to the mercenary picture painted by some (ask Ian Holloway, he'll tell you all about it) this is a fabulous Watford side that deserves to play in the top flight next season. I've no doubt we'll do so.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Championship Ian Holloway blames referee for Blackpool defeat at Leicester | Jeremy Alexander Manager betrays an underdog mentality that hardly befits his club's standing in the Championship<p>Leicester City is not Ian Holloway's happiest hunting ground. "I've not won there for years," he said before taking Blackpool to the King Power Stadium on Saturday evening, "and I'm fed up of that." He was even more fed up after City had ended Blackpool's 100% start to the Championship season with a 1-0 victory, though his club still top the table. At the final whistle he stormed down the tunnel. The rant was yet to come, as well as the handshake with City's Nigel Pearson.

"If it looked rude, I apologise," said Holloway later.</p><p>In fact he won nine matches at Leicester in 2007-08, when he was City's manager for six months – not enough to prevent them dropping into the third tier for the first time in their history. "It was like my worst nightmare," he said. "But I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing at Blackpool without what happened to me at Leicester."</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Football League Championship 2011-12: the bloggers' end-of-season report The people who really know their clubs give us the lowdown on their 2011-12 Championship campaigns<br />• Check out what the bloggers had to say at the <a href="" title="">start of the season</a> and <a href="" title="">at the halfway point</a><p><strong>Dream or nightmare?</strong> It's been a season of two halves at Barnsley, with an exceptional start made by Keith Hill in comparison to previous regimes, but ending up in the worst points tally than any other season since our return to the Championship.

Half dream/half nightmare, filled with delirium, characterised by anxiety, disorientation, hallucinations, delusions and incoherent speech.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Championship 2011-12 Football League weekender | James Dart Leicester, Charlton, a bold move from Rotherham and more feature in our latest rundown from the lower divisions<p>• Only an idiot would look beyond the Friday night top-two barnstormer at St Mary's between Southampton and Reading (and West Ham v Brighton, for that matter) so here goes (there's <a href="" title="">more on the Royals here</a>, anyway). Leicester City – along with the Hammers, clear pre-season title favourites – still aren't out of the promotion running despite 14 Championship defeats this term, and take their play-off aspirations to Millwall on Saturday afternoon. Back-to-back victories have lifted the Foxes to within three points of the top six, and a favourable goal difference means Nigel Pearson's team could even propel themselves into a play-off spot at the Den, although they will be without Neil Danns, who has a groin injury.

"They battered us 3-0 at our place so we owe them some payback," said the striker David Nugent of the defeat in the reverse fixture, which ultimately did for Sven-Goran Eriksson's tenure. "Sven lost his job but I think we have had a lot of chances now to get into the play-offs which we haven't taken, but we can take this chance." For the Lions, victory could secure survival, a potentially impressive achievement for Kenny Jackett. The form of the forwards Harry Kane and Andy Keogh has helped in recent weeks and could yet keep the returning Darius Henderson (19 goals this season) out of the starting lineup.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Championship 2011-12 Championship 2011-12: the bloggers' half-term report The people who really know their clubs give us the lowdown on the Championship season so far<p><strong>How's it going? </strong>I predicted that the negative soothsayers would have called it wrong and so far have been proven correct. Barnsley are not and will not be relegation fodder this season.

Being careful to temper my opinions, for a half-season report and not based on November and December results, the management duo "Hillcroft" have now begun to see their footballing blueprint materialise on the pitch. Barnsley have the potential to get even better. High-tempo possession football is the order of the day at Oakwell. We're getting some fabulous results at home and on the road through hard work and an unrivalled team ethic.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Championship 2011-12 Sam Allardyce thinks big with West Ham after victory over Leicester | Jeremy Alexander He may have dropped down a division, but there is no shortage of ambition for Sam Allardyce at Upton Park<p>Little Sams make Sam Allardyce feel bigger than Big. At Bolton Wanderers the manager had some of his best years with Sammy Lee as assistant. At West Ham United since June, he signed Sam Baldock from MK&nbsp;Dons in late August for an "undisclosed" fee, believed to be about £2m.

The 5ft&nbsp;7in striker had just got a hat‑trick against Chesterfield, then another goal in a 4-0 win at Norwich City in the Carling Cup. On Saturday, for the second home game running, he scored two as West Ham beat Leicester City 3-2 to stay second in the Championship behind Southampton.<br>Pies are not humble in the north-west but Allardyce, sacked by Blackburn Rovers in December, has had to drop down a division, to London's sixth‑ranked club, to satisfy his aspirations. He gave Bolton four comfortable years in the Premier League but on leaving them in 2007 he said he wanted silverware. While at Blackburn, whom he left in 13th place, he said he would win trophies in abundance with Manchester United or Real Madrid. At 57, time may be running out. That those two Old Allardycians are in the Premier League's relegation places may enhance his standing.</p><p>West Ham, relegated in May, offer a different challenge, which he is enjoying more than West Ham's fans. He signs his programme notes "Big Sam", suggesting the comfort of a good relationship.

At his appointment he vowed to try to "play the West Ham way" and respected the club's "great tradition and loyal supporters". Loyal they are, travelling in numbers and with home crowds holding up at just under 30,000. But they reckon to know more of the West Ham way than he does and there have been murmurings of discontent. "I don't know why they moan about winning when all they did before was lose," he said on Saturday. With eight wins they are only one short of last season's final total.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Championship 2011-12 Football League in Focus: Derby County pulled up short by Leicester | Jeremy Alexander A four-goal drubbing at the hands of Sven-Goran Eriksson's side came out of the blue but Nigel Clough is undeterred<p>Derby County could have thought they were back in the Premier League. They had the late-afternoon TV audience to themselves; Howard Webb, the World Cup final referee, was in charge; and they were visiting a City side bank-rolled from Thailand and managed by Sven-Goran Eriksson. The result hardly disabused them of the fantasy.

A 4-0 defeat by Leicester was in line with Derby's last top-tier experience, a one-off season four ago under Billy Davies, then Paul Jewell, in which they broke record lows with one win and 11 points.<br>It was out of line with Derby's exciting Championship season so far. They kicked off with four straight wins. Pre-match notes said they were "chasing a seventh win in 10 matches, their best start in 42 years". In the event they were chasing their tails. Post-match notes had Nigel Clough saying: "We have to make sure we've got all our mistakes out of the way in one go." Derby still lie third. "We've had a brilliant season," the manager added, "and we mustn't let this result overshadow it."</p><p>The last round of midweek matches emphasised the tightness of the division. Only Cardiff of the top nine sides won. Only six points cover the top 10 now, Leicester being one of them after seven games unbeaten. Eriksson, celebrating a year in the job on Monday and a fourth clean sheet in a row, said: "Clean sheet again.

Very good." Money, which always seems to be at his disposal, says more than he does. So did Matt Mills, his new captain and centre-back from Reading in a £13m summer spree. "We felt this sort of thing coming. Unfortunately for Derby they took a bit of a thumping," he said.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Championship 2011-12 Championship 2011-12 season preview | John Ashdown West Ham should bounce straight back to the Premier League, but Birmingham and Blackpool may struggle to joint them<p>The turnover of managers in the Championship last season was remarkable. It means that 15 teams in the division start this campaign with a different manager than they did last year (Doncaster, Millwall, Leeds, Derby, Blackpool, Brighton, Reading, Portsmouth and Hull are the only one who do not), and of those, six have never before managed a league game with their new club. One of those, though, should lead his side to the title.</p><p>The West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has, at the time of writing at least, the strongest squad in the division.

Though Scott Parker will presumably head off before the end of August (and a few others may follow him out of the Boleyn Ground) the manager should be left with a side capable of bouncing back at the first attempt.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Championship 2011-12 Leicester City bank on Sven-Goran Eriksson to hit the ground running | David Bevan The Swede's initial impact had fans looking at promotion but results have tailed off and turned attention towards next season<p>In January the Barnsley manager, Mark Robins, called Leicester City "the best team in the division". The Queens Park Rangers manager, Neil Warnock, said they were "as good as anyone we have played against". Last weekend Tony Mowbray even likened them to Manchester United. While United are coming good at the right time, on course for a famous treble, Leicester achieved two trebles in their draw at the Riverside Stadium last weekend.

Three goals scored, three conceded and just a single point to show for a game they led 3-1, leaving them twelfth in the Championship.</p><p>Sven-Goran Eriksson's first five months in charge saw Leicester make a steady rise up the Championship table, initially relying on a formidable home record before adding a run of excellent away form in the New Year. After seven wins and a draw in the league to begin 2011, there was even talk of second place. Then, just when everything was going right, it went horribly wrong. Leicester scored a goal that Leicester never score. Andy King's strike at Pride Park was a goal of Premier League quality that confirmed their superiority over their neighbours Derby County. Surely nothing would top it. Sure enough, nothing since has.<br>The move swept from back to front, from right to left, the ball switching from the possession of Leicester's goalkeeper, Ricardo, swiftly into the net of his opposite number Stephen Bywater via a series of incisive passes and then King's finish with the outside of his right foot.

Coming in first-half stoppage time of a game they already led through a piece of individual brilliance from Yakubu Ayegbeni, it was a goal that won an important encounter.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Leicester City Football League: Your thoughts Hat-tricks ahoy as Crewe and Norwich grab two each, Steve Kabba goes on the rampage for Barnet and Ayegbeni Yakubu haunts Boro<p>A fascinating day in the Football League, with very few fixtures that looked interesting in advance disappointing, and several that didn't look that great coming up trumps. My headlines, then...</p><p>• Double hat-tricks at Norwich, where Alan Knill's first game as Scunthorpe United's manager after defecting from Bury in midweek ended with a 6-0 shellacking in which Grant Holt scored the first three and Simeon Jackson the last three, and at Crewe, where Clayton Donaldson and Joel Grant were left facing a dressing-room wrestling bout for the match ball after both excelled in the 8-1 thrashing of Cheltenham.

So far this season the Railwaymen have thrashed Barnet 7-0, drawn 5-5 at Chesterfield and lost 6-2 at Northampton. Scunthorpe at least had the excuse of being a man short for the last hour, after Paul Reid was sent off for conceding the penalty from which Holt made in 2-0.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Crewe Alexandra Premier League bites back at Football League in Carling Cup fourth round | Sachin Nakrani After the giant-killings of the previous round, the League hierarchy was re-established with the exits of Brentford, Northampton and Leicester<p>The Carling Cup's powers of illusion persist. The competition is perceived to be one the smaller clubs can win yet it is the elites, despite their policy of putting out weakened sides, who continue to dominate. No team from outside the top flight has secured the trophy since 1991, with the past six winners being participants in the current Champions League campaign.

This year was meant to be different but after last night's results, a sense of deja vu is taking over.</p><p>Four of yesterday's five fourth-round ties contained non-Premier League participants, with each of them harbouring realistic ambitions of progressing into the quarter-finals. That only one of them made it was a blow for the romantics.<br>The most intriguing of the five League clubs that played last night were undoubtedly Brentford and Northampton, who between them accounted for Merseyside's big two in the previous round.

United by the shocks they caused last month, the pair's eventual exits from the competition proved contrasting.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Football Gary Madine shrugs off brush with law to inspire Carlisle United | Simon Burnton • Paulo Sousa talks of tough times for Leicester City<br />• Chris Sutton resigns as Lincoln City's manager<br />• Give us your thoughts on your team's midweek performance<p>Preston North End's result at Elland Road was glorious and ludicrous enough to be <a href="" title="worth a blog of its own">worth a blog of its own</a>, but there were a few other results worth mentioning, with the individual performance of the day probably reserved for the Carlisle United striker Gary Madine, who spent his day <a href="" title="in court pleading guilty to a charge of causing actual bodily harm">in court pleading guilty to a charge of causing actual bodily harm</a> and his night scoring the first hat-trick of his career.</p><p>In the Championship, Leicester City fans, probably pretty glum already, are unlikely to be pleased to note that precisely 40 of the 92 teams in the Football League have conceded fewer goals all season than the 

10 the Foxes have shipped in the last few days.

In each of their last two matches, a 6-1 defeat to Portsmouth on Friday and a 4-3 reverse at Norwich City last night, they have given away a penalty for handball and had a man sent off – a habit they probably want to be getting out of pretty soon.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Football Leicester v Cardiff: Can the Foxes kick-start season and avenge the last? | David Bevan The editor of The Seventy Two blog guests with his take on one of this evening's big games in the Championship<p>Cardiff met Leicester on five occasions last term, three of which were won by the Welsh club and two by the English, with the Bluebirds ending the Foxes' interest in both the FA Cup and, eventually, the promotion race. Nevertheless, they meet again tonight and the stakes are high.</p><p>Not as high as they were last May, admittedly. When Leicester travelled to the Welsh capital for their season-defining play-off semi-final second leg, the victors had Wembley in their sights. In the manner of most play-off occasions, the ensuing encounter was an enthralling one.

It was a topsy-turvy tie which ended with missed penalties from Yann Kermorgant and Martyn Waghorn, two men who were absent for this season's kick-off.</p> <a href="">Continue reading...</a> Leicester City

Question: Who has managed Leicester City, Blackpool and Crystal Palace football clubs since 2007?
Answer: IAN HOLLOWAY